As I’ve been traveling a lot this year for work, I spoil myself lazy whenever I’m home. And this Thanksgiving, I decided that instead of cooking up and stressing over a feast all day that we break tradition and just go on a relaxing holiday somewhere not too far.
Luckily, I live in Los Angeles and have a variety of quick getaway options for exactly this kind of thing. I settled for an across-the-border trip to Ensenada, about 2 hours away from San Diego, because (1) we wanted to go to Mexico but didn’t want to spend money on airfare, and (2) we LOVE Baja style fish and shrimp tacos. And by love, I mean I WILL drive a few hours just to get it.
It wasn’t our first choice, however. We considered a bunch of places first before we decided. Here are a few of them:
Yosemite – I adore Yosemite and thought I’d have time to camp there this summer but didn’t. The magnificent national park in the Sierras, only six hours away from LA, has a complex network of wilderness trails and several campgrounds, some of which do not require a year-in-advance reservation, making it an ideal place to unplug and unwind.
Big Sur – Big Sur, of course, has to be on every California trip list. It’s California’s wilderness jewel, and second only to Yosemite in grandeur. Lush, green, rolling hills atop magnificent cliffs over the thundering Pacific. What more could you ask? Well, what about towering red woods, a waterfall that falls into the sea, and epic views?
Vancouver – Can you believe I’ve never been to Canada? I’m come close, but things always got in the way. So this year, I considered going up to Vancouver for a nice, non traditional Thanksgiving. I’ve heard fantastic things about the city and I bet it’s lovely that close to the holidays. Also I wanted to see Victoria as well as meet up with friends.
Mexico City – I’ve been itching to go to Mexico City and explore its beautiful streets. Everybody’s been talking and raving about it that it’s hard not to get tempted, see its markets, sample the food. I would have been willing to pay airfare too, had it not been for the fact that the city is apparently a busy tourist spot during US holidays and the tickets are not cheap around Thanksgiving.
Ensenada – What can I say? I’m a sucker for seafood. I’ve only been to Ensenada once before and loved it, the Baja style tacos and the rock lobsters especially. The people are lovely too, and I’m particularly excited about their markets. I’m itching to get my hands on some of those colorful blankets and lovely hammocks.
stray with rae 